Summary of newsmakers from the previous day 9.8.2005

Quality and harvest of hops will be average, growers are annoyed by low prices

Quality and harvest of hop according to growers’ estimation will be average this year. Growers should harvest about a ton of hop from a hectare which is roughly the same as last year. “We are satisfied with the yields estimation, the problem is the low prices”, said a chairman of the Hop growers union of the Czech Republic Bohumil Pázler to the ČTK. Offers inland move around 4,3 Euro (135 crowns) for a kilogram of hop, in Germany growers get five euro (150 crowns) for a kilogram. Growers have already ensured the sale of hop roughly from 98 percents. About 80 to 85 percents of the harvest will be exported abroad. The biggest customer of the Czech “green gold” is Japan.

Program of IBR elimination (Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis)

The Ministry of Agriculture ČR has approved the National sanitation program and promised also to cover a significant part of financial costs for its several-year realization. Thanks belong to it for that. And an effect? Cattle breeders will be able to trade with stud animals without problems and doubts because many EU countries either already is free of IBR or it will be before long. Many Czech breeders have genetically very quality herds and there is an interest in their animals.

Customs officers checked poppy fields and found out law-breaking

During a check of ten poppy fields in Louny and Litoměřice regions North-Bohemian customs officers found out several law-breakings in the first August week. Growing of poppy on two fields was not reported by growers to customs offices as the law requires. “On other three fields we found out that growers ploughed down the plants discordant with the law without a previous report”, said a spokesman of North-Bohemian customs officers Jiří Nejedlý to the ČTK. The growers will now wait for an administrative procedure. A legal entity is threatened with a fine till the height of a half million crowns for neglecting of reporting duty and an individual can get a fine for the same offence till the height of 100 000 crowns.

Nuclear energy industry improves Czech balance of CO 2 production

If nuclear reactors in Temelín and Dukovany were not operated, Czech emissions of greenhouse gases would increase by the entire fifth. Moreover, their production will save mining of about 26 million tons of brown coal every year. Energy industry together with transport share in roughly a half of the annual world emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2).